PARIS, September 16 French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, in an interview with the Parisien newspaper, announced that distributors would be allowed to sell gasoline “at a loss” for several months to allow them «reduce prices even further.»
Born noted that since 2022, several measures have been taken in France against price increases. But she said the government would like to see «everyone take responsibility», like energy company TotalEnergies, which caps its prices at €1.99 per litre, or large retailers who operate at cost.
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«That's good, but as many have pointed out, they can't lower prices any further because the law has prohibited them from selling at a loss since 1963.» Today I am announcing to you that exclusively with regard to fuel and for a limited period of several months, we are going to lift this ban, which will allow distributors to reduce prices even further,” the Prime Minister said.
In her opinion, thanks to this At least it will be possible to achieve “tangible results for the French without subsidizing fuel.”
Earlier this week, amid rising prices for gasoline and diesel at French gas stations, drivers in the metropolis said that they could no longer afford to fill up a full tank, and having a personal car was becoming unprofitable.
Gasoline prices in France have been rising in recent months; at a number of gas stations they have long exceeded 2 euros per liter — a symbolic amount, more than which, according to government promises, fuel should not cost.